A U.S. Army soldier was killed during a training accident at Erbil Air Base in northern Iraq on Sunday, and a British service member also died in the same incident, military officials confirmed. The U.S. service member’s name is being withheld until at least 24 hours after the family is notified, and both countries say the accident is under investigation.
What the U.S. Military Said
U.S. Army Central and Third Army announced the death in a post on X, stating that the training involved British Army partners and that the circumstances are being formally reviewed, according to Fox 5 DC. The outlet also reported that the Army will not release the U.S. soldier’s identity until next of kin have been notified.
British Army Confirms Soldier's Death
The U.K. Ministry of Defence said the family of its service member has been informed and requested a “period of grace” before any further information is shared publicly, Sky News reported. British broadcaster ITV identified the soldier as Lance Corporal James Freeman, 29, and carried Ministry of Defence tributes describing him as a “devoted family man.”
Regional Context
The United States has maintained a military footprint in Iraq’s Kurdish region while drawing down some counter-IS forces, and Washington opened a large consulate compound in Irbil last December, according to AP News. The deaths in Erbil come less than a month after two American soldiers died during an off-duty hike in Morocco, underscoring that noncombat accidents have been a recent concern for U.S. forces overseas, Stars and Stripes reported.
Officials from both militaries say investigators are working to establish exactly what happened and have asked for privacy for the families while notifications and inquiries continue. No additional operational details have been released, and authorities say updates will follow as the investigation progresses, according to statements cited by Fox 5 DC.
